A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to increase administration charges for users of the Tamar Tag system will be hauled back into the spotlight at an extraordinary public meeting in the New Year, following mounting concern over the scale and process of the hike.

The proposed increase – a 150 per cent rise in the monthly charge for holding a Tamar TAG account, from 80p to £2 – will now be debated by the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee (TBTFJC) at a specially convened meeting at Plymouth City Council, provisionally scheduled for January 12.

The meeting will be open to the public and media, with attendance details to be published on the Plymouth City Council website.

The move follows widespread criticism after the increase was agreed in principle at a committee meeting on December 5, prompting concerns that the decision had not received sufficient scrutiny.

The Tamar Tag system provides a 50 per cent discount on tolls and is relied upon by thousands of people in Cornwall and Devon who regularly cross the Tamar for work, education, medical appointments and caring responsibilities.

Joint committee chairs Cllr Andrew Long of Cornwall Council and Cllr Anne Freeman of Plymouth City Council said the proposal now requires further examination before progressing any further.

“We have been concerned that this recommendation needs more scrutiny,” they said. “Since the meeting on December 5, we have been working with officers and members to ensure this happens before any further consideration or voting by either authority.”

They added that any recommendation emerging from the meeting would feed directly into the budget-setting processes for both Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council ahead of final budget decisions in February.

The administration charge increase comes on top of toll rises introduced in May, when the cost for tag users increased by 20p to £1.50 per crossing. At the same time, drivers without a tag saw the cost of crossing from Cornwall into Devon via the bridge or ferry double to £3. Those changes were introduced to help address a significant financial shortfall but have already placed additional strain on frequent users.

The Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee is made up of ten councillors, five each from Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, and is responsible for overseeing the operation and finances of the two crossings.